Merton Leader issues new ‘Prospectus for South London’ to Mayor Boris Johnson
Leader of Merton Council, Cllr Stephen Alambritis, has been appointed as the Chair of the South London Leaders’ Group and has issued the new ‘Prospectus for South London’, outlining a fresh vision for the region, to the Mayor of London.
Cllr Stephen Alambritis takes over from Cllr Brennan, the former Leader of Sutton Council, who chaired the group up until 9 July, 2012. The group is part of the South London Partnership and comprises senior elected representatives from five south London boroughs: Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond and Sutton.
Cllr Stephen Alambritis’ appointment coincides with the newly published ‘Prospectus for South London’ which has been delivered to London Mayor Boris Johnson, along with a letter outlining the key priorities for the sub-region.
In his letter to Mayor Boris Johnson, Cllr Stephen Alambritis reinforces the need to build a ‘resilient and growing economy’ and specifically calls for the Mayor’s commitment to the following priorities:
- Adopt the ‘Prospectus for South London’ into the Economic Development Strategy for London
- Support investment in our town centres
- Commit to transport investment including a firm pledge now for Tramlink extensions
- Commit to increasing the house supply available to meet housing need in South London
- Ensure fairness in the application of levies and tariffs and a transparent approach to the allocation of funds based on clear criteria which do not disadvantage south London.
- Make policing and community safety a priority
Leader of Merton, Cllr Stephen Alambritis, said: “I am honoured to have been elected as the Chair of the South London Leaders’ Group. I look forward to working with my colleagues, looking at new ways of encouraging economic growth, while also building a greener and more sustainable future for South London.
“One of our top priorities is the new ‘Prospectus for South London’, which has been delivered to the Mayor of London. This prospectus sets out the new vision for our region, outlining the key areas we need to focus on to encourage more return on investment and build a financially stronger regional economy. I am confident we will be able to achieve this together.
“I wish to thank Cllr Brennan for the invaluable contribution he has made to the South London Leaders’ Group as its former Chair.”
Ian Smith, Director of the South London Partnership, said: “We are pleased to welcome Cllr Stephen Alambritis as Chair of the South London Leaders’ Group, and very much look forward to working with him.”
